Shak Mohammed scored in the 79th minute Friday night and Nashville SC stayed atop the Eastern Conference standings with a 1-0 win over visiting Atlanta United.
Nashville (11-1-3, 36 points) was outplayed for a good chunk of the match but was able to generate the only clinical finish off a sudden buildup down the left side. Matthew Corcoran’s long pass found Alex Muyl, who crossed into the middle. Mohammed’s header to the left side of the net easily beat Lucas Hoyos.
Atlanta (3-10-2, 11 points) earned a 12-9 advantage in shots and put five shots on net to Nashville’s four. But All-Star goalie Brian Schwake turned in his seventh clean sheet of the season.
Schwake’s best save came in the 59th minute when Luke Brennan had a point-blank chance to initiate scoring. Brennan tried to chip the ball over Schwake from the top of the 6-yard box, but Schwake punched it over the crossbar.
That moment seemed like a microcosm of the season for both teams. Nashville has conceded just 11 goals in 15 matches, and Atlanta has managed only 14 goals in 15 fixtures. It marked the seventh time this year that Atlanta has been blanked.
Emmanuel Latte Lath had a chance to equalize for Atlanta in the second minute of stoppage time, but his shot from the left side sailed wide of the goal.
Atlanta exerted a surprising amount of control over a scoreless first half, holding the possession advantage for the first half-hour. Nashville experienced some difficulty punching into Atlanta’s half of the field to create quality chances.
Despite losing midfielder Ajani Fortune in the 11th minute with a left hamstring injury, Atlanta still doubled Nashville in shots (6-3) and put two shots on frame to the Coyotes’ one.
Atlanta’s best chance came in the 43rd minute, but Enea Mihaj’s shot from the center of the box was easily turned away by Schwake. Hoyos got Atlanta to the half with a clean sheet by punching out a free kick in stoppage time.
